Phenolic condensation product and process of producing same



Patented Aug. 29, 1933 PHENOLIC CONDENSATION PRODUCT AND PROCESS OF PBODUCING SAME Lawrence V. 'Redman Caldwell, N. J., and

Frank P.

and Archie J. Weith, Brock, Hinsdale,

Ill., .assignors to Bakelite ,Cotporation, New York, N. Y.,a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application July 14, 1927v Serial No. 205,837 x i 4 owns. (01. 260-43 In a copending application, Serial 0. 471,918-filed May 23, 1921, now Patent 1,811,808, we have disclosed an improved molding com,- poun'd and a process of making the same, the said process comprising in its preferred embodiment, the preparation of a non-reactive phenol resin containing free phenol; the treatment of the said resin with calcium .hydroxid or equivalent base in substantially the proportion required to convert the free phenol into the corresponding .phenolate: and the incorporation with the resulting resinous composition. of sufficient hexamethylenetetramine or equivalent hardening agent having aldehyde characteristics to render the same potentially reactive, together with appropriate 'fllling materials.

According to the present invention a further improvement in molding mixtures of this general type is effected by employing the calcium hydroxid orequivalent base in proportion to combine not merely with the free phenols which may be present, as in the prior application above referred to, but with the hydroxyl component of the resin itself; and subjecting the mixture of resin and base to a treatment which will bring about a chemical combination between the two. Our present process is applicable therefore to resins irrespective of the presence or absence therein of free phenol; the proportion of lime or other basic addition being calculated in correspondence with the hydroxyl content of the resin and of any free phenol which may be present. V a

As more fully pointed out hereinafter, our present invention is applicable also to the treatment of other resinous or resin-like bodies, including rosin and other natural resins, and casein, when these are used in conjunction with or as additions to the phenol resins.

In the practice of, our invention according to a preferred embodiment thereof, we first prepare in accordance with known methods, a nonreactive phenol resin; that is to say a phenol resin of the so-called permanently fusible and soluble type which may be maintained indeflnitelyin fusion at or near its melting point without passing over to theinfusible and insoluble state. Such a resin is conveniently prepared by reacting with at least thirteen mols of phenol (which term is used herein to include phenol proper and its homologs).,upon twelve mols of methylene, in the form either of formaldehyde or of hexamethylenetetramine. As a. rule some excess of phenol is used, and the non-reactive resin which results contains this free phenol, a part or even all of which may if desired be removed by steam distillation, washing with water, or other appropriate method.

.. We, then incorporate thoroughly with this resin 9, quantity of calcium hydroxid molecularly equivalent to its content, if any, of free phenol,

together with an additional amount which is preferablyv substantially molecularly equivalent to the hydroxyl content of the resin itself. For example, if we prepare a resinous condensation product by reacting with twelve methylenes (two mols of hexamethylenetetramine or twelve mols of formaldehyde) upon sixteen mols' of phenol,

we regard the resin itself, for the purposes of i I this invention, as being a reaction product of the twelve methylene groups with thirteen phenolic groups: and therefore as containing three uncombined phenolic groups. In such case, (assuming that none of the free phenol has been removed by washing or otherwise) the lime addition will be calculated to correspond to four mols of phenol. In case any portion of'the free phenol has been eliminated, the proportion of lime, is correspondingly reduced.

Thereafter the mixture is subjected tosuflicient heat to effect the desired chemical reactionbetweenv the lime and the hydroxyl groups, including the hydroxyl of the resin. For this purpose we have found it'sufiicient to heat the mixture to about 175C. for two to'three hours with constant stirring; although our invention is not limited to these particular conditions, ,since for instance, a lower temperature may be applied for a longer period, or higher temperatures for a shorter period, time and temperature being in this case co-relative factors to some extent. During this treatment considerable amounts of water are set free and eliminated. It will of course be understood that this treatment is applicable only to non-reactive .or very slowly reactive resins, since highly reactive resins would be transformed during this intensive treatment to the infusible (resinoid) modification. When reference is made herein to non-reactive resins, it is intended to include all such as are of sufficient low reactivity to withstand the above heat-treatment without passing over to the resinoid state.' The resulting product will be referred to for convenience simply as the limed resin, it being understood that certain other basic bodies, including the hydroxids of barium,

to that extent are importing to the limed resin the tenticlly reactive character.

ill

"scribed is a non-reactive lirncd res In the practice or the invention to prefer to calculate the e addition as substantially equivalent to the hydroxyl of the resin. over end above the quantity equivalent to any free phenol present. A somewhat less norportion oi lime may however be used with good results, although we have found that the optimum conditions as regards the molding characteristics oi the compound is attained when the full proportion of lime as above indicated is used. .On' the other hand it is important that no consideralole excess of lime above this optimum proportion should be employed. Amongthe effects the oesic od dition. (hereinafter simply referred to lime} are to improve the plastic quality the ing' mixture and to overcome any tendency to stick to the mold, with resulting" injury to the surface of the molded article. These effects are obtained in increasing nieasulre up to the antimum point indicated above, that to set to the point of complete neutralization of the droxyi component of the resin; but is-s re merkslole fact that proportions oi lime in.

s'tantial excess of this amountincreese the iso tend tendency to stick to the mold, and. ill to injure the plastic qualities of t The product -formed in the me.

For the preparation of e. molding mixture it is necessary to incorporate with it appropriate fillers, usually of a. fibrous nature, such as wood asbestos or the like, and to import to it e. n on active character. Tnis last is eilcco manner now well understood in the corporeting' a. suitable hordeni an aldehyde oharecter. "We or to employ for this purpose hex mine, in about the proportion to pro mixture as a. whole, equimoieculsr gs-ornortions of phenol and methylene groups. That is, in the specific illustreltive instance given above in which the initial reaction was brought about between sixteen molecular wcirhts of phenol, and twelve molecular weights oil methylene, we prefer to add approximately four methylene groups as the hardening odmirrture. The en= trance oi the case into the molecule does not materially alter the methylene requirements for desired pooiost cases euetetrein the Instead of hexomethylenetetmmine orf iformoldehyde we may substitute wholly or in port other hardening agents having aldehyde character, such as iurfurol, enlivdrodorrnoldo bride-aniline, and the like. Suitable plcsticizlng agents, including frniurel, may of course he added to the potentially reactive molding cornnosi tion without departure from our invention.

Additions of the nature of rosin or other not: oral resins, casein, end the like which are cone. hle of entering into combination with lime or its equivalents may also ice used: in such cases we preferably proportion the lime Eddi tion to neutralize such substances. In case of moldtion of properties which is very essors plcsticinng or other additions, not forming chemical combinations with-the alkalies such odjustment need not of course be model.

In our prior application above referred to the basic addition is used in proportion up to that required to combine with the free phenol pres. ent in the resin. According to--the present invention we employ the basic material insulistantially higher proportion, and preferably in amount substantially sufficient to neutralize the hydroxyl of the resin itself, in addition to neutralizing iree phenol if present.

Reactive resins prepared in accordance with this invention may be incorporated with fibrous or other fillers in any desired proportion, within unusually wide limits. The mixtures pre pared with high resin content, (around of resin) are highly resistant to water, but are nevertheless oi the rapid-molding type and may be discharged hot from the molds, a combine.- difficult or attainment in commercial molding mixtures;

We claim:

1. in a. process of making a. potentially reactive molding mixture, the step comprising effecting o. reaction between a non reactive phenolresin and an inorganic base under substantially anhydrous conditions, the base in sufficient amount to neutralize a substantial proportion of the hydroxyl of the resin.

2. Ina process of making a potentially ream tive molding mixture, the step comprising eifecting reaction between a non-reactive phenol resin and lime under substantially enhydrous conditions, the lime'in sumcient amount to neutralize a substantial proportion of the hydroxyl of the resin.

3. l roccss of making a potentially reactive molding mixture which comprises reflecting a reaction between a non-reactive phenol resin and inorganic base, the base in amount equivalent to asubstsntiol proportion of the hydroxyl of the resin, in the presence of on amount of water insufdcient todissolve asuh l. Process of making a. potentially reactive till iii)

molding mixture which comprises efiecting a reaction between a. non-reactive phenol resin and lime, the lime in amount equivalent to o. sub" stanticl proportion of the hydroxyl of the resin, in the presence oi an amount of water insuficient to dissolve e. substantial amount of the resin under the conditions of the reaction and compounding therewith e filling material and e. herclening agent capable oi imoerting to the mixture a. potentially reactive character.

LAWRENCE v. REDlvIAN. ARQl-IIE J. wmrn. recon P. secon ill 

